Jeremy E. Wulff Seminar
Iolanda Francolini is pleased to invite to the seminar:
Universal Polymer Crosslinkers: Synthesis, Structure–Function Relationships and Applications in Materials Science
di Jeremy Wulff, University of Victoria, Victoria, Canada
The seminar will be held in Parravano hall, first floor - S. Cannizzaro building CU014, on Friday 16th June at 12 pm.
Abstract
Adding chemical crosslinks between the chains of existing polymer materials provides increased mechanical strength, improved high-temperature performance, and enhanced solvent resistance. Installing these crosslinks, however, has historically required the use of distinct chemistry for each type of material: vulcanization for rubber, hydrosilylation for silicone, DMDHEU for cotton, etc.
We developed a family of rationally designed, diazirine-based crosslinker reagents that allow for the on-demand introduction of strong covalent bonds to virtually any aliphatic polymer material, through rapid C–H, O–H, and N–H insertion reactions. This presentation will focus on the design, synthesis, and mechanism-driven optimization of this new class of polymer crosslinkers, and will describe several applications, which arise through operationally simple, topical treatment of existing polymer materials. Selected applications may include: (1) adhesion of low surface energy materials, (2) upgrading the mechanical strength of ballistic protective fabric, (3) construction of novel fiber-reinforced UHMWPE–epoxy composites, (4) development of self-sterilizing fabrics, (5) enhancement of the mechanical robustness of omniphobic PDMS coatings, (6) upgrading of perovskite solar cell stability and performance, and (7) photopatterning of electroluminescent quantum dot aggregates for next-generation displays.
Leading References:
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2. C. Simhadri et al., Chemical Science, 2021, 12, 4147.
3. S. F. Musolino et al., Chemical Science, 2021, 12, 12138.
4. M. L. Lepage et al., ACS Applied Polymer Materials, 2021, 3, 6008.
5. R. Nazir et al., ACS Applied Polymer Materials, 2022, 4, 1728.
6. T. J. Cuthbert et al., Scientific Reports, 2021, 11, 19029.
7. X. Zhao et al., Chemical Engineering Journal, 2022, 442, 136017.
8. S. F. Musolino et al., Polymer Chemistry, 2022, 13, 3833.
9. M. Baran et al., ChemRxiv, 2023, DOI: 10.26434/chemrxiv-2023-02szg
10. K. Liu et al., Joule, 2023, 7, 1033.
Short Bio prof. Jeremy Wulff
Jeremy Wulff received his BSc from the University of Victoria, and then completed a PhD with Thomas Back (University of Calgary) and a postdoc with Andrew Myers (Harvard University) before returning to UVic in 2007 to begin his independent research career. Dr. Wulff was promoted to associate professor with tenure in 2013, and full professor in 2018. His research contributions—which range from synthetic methodology and complex molecule synthesis through to medicinal chemistry, chemical biology, automotive plastics, and polymer crosslinking—have been recognized with a Canada Research Chair (Tier II) from 2012–2022, and a Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research Career Scholar Award from 2011–2019. In 2020, he received the UVic Faculty of Science Research Excellence Award. He is currently on a 12 month sabbatical from UVic, during which he is appointed as a visiting professor at the University of Bath.